Litter hero urges residents to keep canal tidy

Andrew Nowell

A local woman is urging residents to help keep a stretch of canal in the borough clean and tidy at an official spruce-up event.

Belinda John, who is one of Keep Britain Tidy’s 100 Litter Hero Ambassadors, is asking community-minded people to join her for the Great British Spring Clean on the Bridgewater Canal in Leigh.

Litter pickers will meet at the Canal Turn pub and head along the towpath in both directions, clearing up as much rubbish as they possibly can in two hours.

Belinda is one of a network of people across the country so passionate about keeping their local areas looking their best that the charity is supporting them through funding from the People’s Postcode Lottery.

She spoke of her annoyance at seeing the state of the waterway when walking there regularly with her partner Kevin Little and hopes kind-hearted Leythers will come along on March 24 to help improve the area.

Belinda said: “My partner and I pick litter when we go out anyway but because it’s the Great British Spring Clean I’ve organised a public event.

“There’s quite a lot of rubbish. People throw stuff like crisp packets and bags of dog mess and it all ends up in the canal.

“When we’re litter picking people often stop to ask what we are doing, so there’s obviously a group out there who try to maintain the area, but others just use it as a dumping ground.

“It’s a shame some people are spoiling it because there are ducks and swans on the canal and it’s a really nice area which is used by runners, cyclists, dog walkers and people going to school.”

Belinda has been ridding the countryside of rubbish for around three years and her efforts have already been spotted by employees for the Bridgewater Canal Company and her status as a Litter Hero Ambassador means her event is listed on the Keep Britain Tidy website for people to find out more or sign up.

Wigan Council is providing pickers and other equipment while the special bags to dispose of the waste are coming from the charity.

The event is on March 24 from 11am until 1am, with participants meeting at the Canal Turn pub on Chapel Street.